Protecting device



Nov. 16, 1937. v I A. PACKERT ET AL- 2,099,408

PROTECTING DEVICE Filed Oct. 24, 1955 FIG. 5 Z6 28 I I NIH-M A 1 ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 16, 1937 UNITED S'TATESl PROTECTING DEVICE Richard A.

Packert, West Orange, and William H. Marks, Clifton, N. J.

Application October 24, 1935, Serial No. 46,470 1 Claim. (Cl. 189-56) The invention relates to protecting devices of the type exemplified by awnings, canopies and the like,'and has for its object to provide a device of the indicated type comprising a plurality of tallic sections or slats pivotally connected with each other in a novel manner to provide a construction capable of being conveniently rolled operative or extended position without interfer-.

ing with the rolling up of said device to its inoperative position. Other more specific objects will appear from the description hereinafter and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the claim. p

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates several forms of the invention without defining its limits, Fig. 1 is an enlarged detail view illus- "trating two interconnected slats in the operative 'or extended position of the device; Fig, ,2 is a similar view illustrating the ability of said slats to develop relative pivotal movements suilicient to'enable the device to be rolled up to an inoperative position; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary inside face view of the deviceyl ig. 4 is a detail section illustrating means for imparting a finishto the device, and Fig. 5 is a detail view of a mum imparting means or stud.

In all of its forms the protecting device comprises a plurality of slats Hi constructed of a suitable metal and arranged in adjacent parallel relation to each other, said slats Ill being of predetermined length and of such numbers as to provide a device of the dimensions and type desired. The slats III are provided at opposite edges with means whereby said slats ID. are pivotally connected with 'each other, said means including stops co-operatlng with each other to prevent relative pivotal movement of the slats III in one direction materially beyond the surface plane of the extended device and to permit relative pivotalmovement of said slats Ill in the opposite direction sufllcient to enable the device to be rolled up to an inoperative position. The features referred to above will be more specifically described hereinafter.

When the device is intended to function as an awning, the one end of the device is secured in any conventional manner to a customary rotatable rolier mounted in any well known way, for instance at the upper portion of a window or other opening. The opposite end portion of the de- PATENT OFFICE t vicemay be suitably connected in any conventional manner. with the customary extending.

frame pivotally connected, for instance at the lower portion of the aforesaid window or other opening.

When constructed to function as a canopy the device may be supported in its extended position upon a conventional canopy frame and in such case may consist of two sections adapted to be adjusted to an extended operative position either lengthwise of the canopy frame, or transversely. 3

thereof as will be apparent. In either caserotatable rollers similar to the previously mentioned roller may be rotatablv supported in operative relation to the canopy frame for thepurpose of enabling the device to be roller up to an lnop--- erative position at will.

While the device is particularly designed to function either asv an awning or as a canopy, it-

will be obvious that the novel features may be embodied in other types of protecting devices.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the metallic slats M are preferably curved to a sliahtextent'in cross-section althouzh'it' will be understood that this is not absolutely essential. The means located at the opposite edges of the slats Ill whereby the latter are pivotaliy connected with each other comprise coiled portions l9 and :0. the coiled nortion 19 of one slat being interconnected with the coiled portion 20 of the next adjacent slat "I, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The means whereby the pivotal movements of the slats i0 relatively as shown in Fig. 2. In the preferredform' the stops referred to above comprise flanges 2! located at the free edges 0! the coiled port ons I 9, and co-operating flanges 22 located at the free edges of the coiled portions Ill, as also illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. In the operative position of the device the flanges 2| project from the associated coiled portions IS in obliquerelation to themedian planeoi' the extended slats ill, while the flanges 22 project from the associated coiled portions 20 in substantial parallel relation to the aforesaid median plane of the extended slats Ill. The arrangement is such that when the device occupies character as to permit the 2 its operative extended. position, the flanges, will project toward the associated flanges 12 andjhave their free edges located in the angles formed by the flanges 22 so that said flanges II and 21 cooperate to prevent relative pivotal movement of the slats [0 in one direction materially beyond the surface plane of said extended device. Furthermore, the flanges and are so constructed and arranged that the free 2i when the device is to be rolled up to an inoperative position, the extent of movement ofthe flanges 22 relatively to the flanges 2! being such as to permit relative pivotal movements of the slats III in the opposite direction suiilcient to enable the device to be rolled above. 7

n addition to the parts device preferably includes means whereby the slats II, are fixed against any relative movement other, or in other words lengthwise or the coiled portions n and2l,without however interfering withthe pivotal movements of the slats l0 relativelyto eachgother In the illustrated example as shown in 3, the aforesaid means comprises strips 23 of flexible metal secured to the inner surfaces of the slats 10, for instance, by rivets 24, said stripsil lpreterably being located along the,,oppositeledgesoithe de inherent flexibility, of such;

vice andhaving an d u relative pivotalljmove mentsof the slats necessary to adjust the to .i an extended operative position for to rdevice'to an inoperative ;,pos i t ion. t

a flnish toi'the devic'ejand prevent the entrance V 'foreign rnatteri 1" ain' ia iai i to the interconnected coiled porand ",1 studs may be providedlhaving heads and shanks a, the latter being' o'fsuch A r g-a to fit within the interconnected I; as'illustrated 'i n g. 4; n;- the preferred the shanks 2s are-split lengthwise asslr own still so as to fricmovements oftheslats the coiled portions I! and 20 with the relative. pivotal l0. 'Inadditi'on the studs are preferably, constructed otiaimetal which is harder than the metal of which theslats III are constructed, the shanks 2. in such case being prei'erajblyf provided with surface projections arwithout interference rangedto-bite'intofithe coiled portions for fixing the studs i'n place; as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the surface projections may comprise circumferential ribs 28 arranged to wear recesses into the inter- 'connected coiled'portions l9 and 20 for the'pur ornamental appearance and at the same up as set forth so far described the I and described may be device 11 g r portions and 2 wlthlthe heads 25 designedhito closie'the opposite ends of said interconnectedcoiledportions is pose of'flxing said studs in their intended position against unintentional removal.

In all of its forms the device presents a highly time is capable of being produced in an economical manner and without requiring any particular skill on the part of the operators. In addition the interconnected portions l! and 20 are of such .a type as to providepivotal connections between adjacent slats l0 which are water-proof and weatherproof so that the device 'in its operative position assures adequate protection not only against sunlight, but against the element's in all weather condltions. By selecting the proper metal for the construction of the slats III the device may be of relatively light weight and at the same time in all of its forms is durable and adapted toresist the eflects of the elements for long periods. The interconnected coiled portions l9 and 20 provide pivotal connections which render the device sufllciently flexible to enable it to be rolled up into a compact inoperative position without necessitating any complicated mechanism to effect this result.. The device is particularly adapted for use as awnings or canopies to replace the customary fabric awnings or canopies and at the same" timemay be adapted for other uses as will be apparent.

Various changes in the specific forms shownmade within the scope of the claim without'departing from the spirit of the invention. V r v a n A, protecting device of the kind described comprising a plurality of slats arranged in'adjacent parallel relation to each other, coiled portions located at opposite edges of said slats, the coiled portions of each slat extending in opposite directions and being interconnected andsubstantially in surface engagement throughout with the coiled portions of adjacent slats whereby said slats are pivotally connected with each other, and flanges located at the portions, one flange of each slat projecting from its associated coiled portion in substantial parallel relation to the median plane of the extended slats and the other flange of each slat projecting from its associated coiled portion in oblique relationto said median plane whereby the flanges of interconnected coiled portions co-operate with each other to prevent relative pivotal movement oi! the slats in one direction materially beyond the free edges of said coiled I 

